- Memories of Ryosuke Sakurai -

　It was in the third grade, I think.
　After school, we used to get together afterwards.

　There were three boys and two girls in a group of five.
　Takatsuki and I were among them.
　Because we lived close to each other, Takatsuki and I were always the first to get together.

No, Sakurai-kun would ring the intercom at my house every time. I wanted to be home.
Really?
　I feel like it.

'To begin with, I always said I'd go if I could. Sometimes I was working on a new game.
...Not much has changed since junior high school. Takatsuki-kun.
　Takatsuki looks somewhat awkward when he talks about the old days, and Sasaki-san is smiling.

　Anyway, we lived near each other and often got together as a group.
　On sunny weekdays, we'd go out and play.
　When it was raining, we'd go out and play at someone's house.
　That was the way it was every day.

　One day, a guy came over and gave us sweets.
　He was smiling and talking to us.
　Before we knew it, he showed up at the little park where we used to play.
　He was normal in appearance and not suspicious.
　He seemed like a nice guy.

He said, "Here's a little something for you, huh?
　I always have a little candy on hand.
　At first, I thought it looked suspicious.
　I told them we were here to walk the dog and the girls let their guard down when they saw the cute little Pomeranian.
　The puppy was adorable, and I found myself playing with him and my uncle on a daily basis.
　I didn't think much of it.　

"That's weird.
'Ummm, I can't say anything about it yet, but...'
　Mr. Sasaki and Mr. Fujiwara are looking at each other delicately.
　Takatsuki-kun is listening with his cheekbones.
　You haven't forgotten, have you?

　For a while, it was fun to think we had a cute little puppy playmate on our playground.

　-- and then something would happen.

　He was always smiling.
　But that day was different.
　The guy didn't have his puppy with him.
　But we weren't alarmed.
　We were in a little park, surrounded by apartments.
　I said, "Here's a snack for you," and we went along.
　And then the guy shows his true colors behind a tree, in a place where it's hard to see from the other side.

"Real?
No way.
Yeah, the guy was a pervert who went after little girls.
What a...
　Sasaki-san and Fujiwara-kun frowned.

　The man suddenly hit me, Takatsuki-kun and the other boys to shut them up.
　He tried to take off the clothes of the two frightened girls.

'Oh, no.'
　Chris, the McAllen nobleman, looked a little frightened, holding the rabbit-eared woman's hand.

'For the first time in my life, it was painful and frightening to be hit by an adult stranger. But I knew I couldn't let it happen, so I stood up to that guy.
That was amazing. You're very brave, Sakurai-kun.
　Sasaki-san gives a surprised look.
''But if you're a brave man of light, there's no problem, so ha?
　Fujiwara-kun's girlfriend, Nina-san, nodded her head curiously.

'In the previous world, I was a helpless kid who wasn't brave or anything. Me and the other boy we had ended up being beaten up by that pervert.
　We were disappointed.
　We were foolish enough to trust this guy and follow him around.
　Our friends were getting beaten up, and a girl was crying in the street.
　And we were helpless to do anything about it.　

"You could have just yelled at me. Mr. Sasaki said.
"I called for help, out loud. The girl was crying. But there were usually children playing in that park and it's normal for them to get rowdy. No one came to help.
What a bold move...

　You're absolutely right.
　Let down your guard with a puppy.
　A crime committed in a blind spot in the middle of the city.
　I never got the details, but I think he may have been a habitual offender.

"Huh?　Where is the truth?　What's the matter with you?
....
　Lucy, a red-haired elf, is shaking Takatsuki's shoulder.
　Takatsuki-kun wrinkles his brow as if he is remembering that time.
　That expression on his face is rare.

'So, then?'
　Mr. Sasaki urged me to go on.

'I thought I was done for. I was hit and my body hurt all over and I couldn't speak. I didn't know what was going to happen, but my body was shaking with fear. The other boy was knocked out and I was desperate.

　When...

　--crash.　

　There was a weird sound, I swear.
　The pervert guy didn't hear it.
　He's just preoccupied with a frightened girl.
　And as it's about to break free.

　--Gosh, clank, clank, clank, clank.

　That funny sound echoed in rapid succession.

Less than a minute later, people came out of the entire apartment building nearby. And even the police. I didn't know what happened.
""?"?
　Mr. Fujiwara, Ms. Sasaki and Saki gave me a blank look.
　Did we skip over the explanation a little too much?

Well, I don't understand.
　Lucy, Nina, and Chris have troubled looks on their faces.

'Takatsuki-kun, what did you do?'
　Mr. Sasaki asks Takatsuki for an explanation.

　He looks unhappy.
'.........Because even if you shout, no one will come to help you. I forced them to come.
　I blurted out an explanation of what I had done.

'What do you mean by that?'
While we were bait, Takatsuki-kun broke a window on the first floor of a nearby apartment building and caused a commotion.
　I concluded.

""What?"
　Saki, Fujiwara and Sasaki-san opened their mouths again.
　Takazuki has a bitter look on his face.
　I wonder why?

...If you break the glass, will you get help?
　Chris-san gives me a strange look.
　That's the kind of reaction you would have if you were from another world.

The world we lived in, even a single broken window in an apartment building can cause quite a stir. It's a peaceful town where there are no demons.
　Takatsuki-kun blurted out.
'You didn't have a single piece of glass, Takatsuki-kun. You've broken all the glass in the nearby apartments, haven't you?
　I found out later.
　I don't know how I could have done that without hesitation.

'Yes but how?　Did you happen to find a handy rock or something?　The area around the apartment building where Takatsuki-kun lived was well maintained and there were no pebbles, right?
　Has Mr. Sasaki ever been to Takatsuki-kun's house?
　To that question, Takatsuki-kun said with a disgusted look on his face.

I've been carrying around a lot of iron balls for breaking window glass. A lot of iron balls for breaking window glass.
"...What....?
　Mr. Sasaki, Mr. Fujiwara and Saki looked at Mr. Takatsuki.
　I was surprised to hear this later.
　Takatsuki speaks in a whisper, "I was into Western video games at the time.

I was into Western video games at the time. There was a game where the police would gather around the main character when he went on a rampage in town. In that game, they used guns and hand grenades, but that's impossible in Japan, right?　 Then I wanted to see how many police would come to me.
So, did you carry around a tool for breaking windows?
　Sasaki-san sounded impressed.

'One day, if I get a chance, I'll try it out... it's just a cute little prank of a schoolboy, right?
　Takatsuki-kun seems to be in a flustered mood.
"Cute........is it?
　Fujiwara-kun has a puzzled look on his face.

'Takatsuki-kun, game brain........'
'Shut up, Sa-san. It's black history!　And my teachers and parents were so mad at me after that!
　Ugh," said Takatsuki, holding his head in his hands.
　Oh, I see.
　That was definitely true.
　Did I say I was unhappy about being pissed off?

But you're a lifesaver, my friend.
'That's right!　It's supposed to be my tact, but the next day the heroes are Sakurai-kun and the other guy!　I'm a 20-page reminder!　It's not fair.
'Oh, I see. How many glasses did you break, by the way?
　Mr. Sasaki says in sympathy.
　Then, Takatsuki-kun grins and smiles.

'Number of destruction: 11. Hit rate: 90%. Not bad, huh?　I put it in my reflection.
"You don't feel sorry for yourself!
I'm even more pissed off. I don't know why.
Are you stupid?
　Takatsuki and Sasaki-san are rambling.

　I haven't talked to Takatsuki this much in a long time. I'm having fun.
　He's the same guy.
　He's the same guy, he's always talking about the game at his own pace.
　He's the same as before.
　The memories of those days come flooding back.

"This was in the third grade, and the next one will be in the fourth grade...
Sakurai-kun!　It's time to stop talking about the old days!
　He looked flustered.
　He refilled the glass in front of me.
　Hmm, I'm not very good at drinking, but....
　But I don't want to refuse the drink that Takatsuki-kun poured for me.

"Well, let's drink it anyway.
　Mr. Takatsuki offered me some drinks in a hurry.
　It's been a long time since I've had a chance to talk to Takatsuki in a relaxed manner.

　I take the glass that's been poured out and drink it all in one gulp.


- Returning to Makoto Takatsuki's point of view


...zzzz.
　A glass full, Sakurai-kun fell asleep.
　Huh?　Is Sakurai-kun such a bad drinker?
　I thought the brave men of light were disabled.

Ryosuke is not a very good drinker. Also, at night, the Sun Goddess's blessings fade and I get drunk.
　Yokoyama-san explained.
'Oh, really? Unexpected.
　Sa-san is pecking Sakurai-kun on the cheek.
　There's certainly no sign of him getting up.

'Takatsuki-kun recommended this drink, so I think he forced himself to drink it.
Yeah.
　Seriously?
　Hmmm, I did a bad job of forcing you to do that.
　Would it have been Alhala?
　But if I left it alone, he was going to tell me all about his old black history....

However, Sakurai-dono also looks tired, doesn't he? I felt it when we met before, too.
'Is that so?　Sir.
Hmm, he looks a little peaked, doesn't he?
　Oh, I hadn't noticed that at all.
　Fujiyan, you've been watching me a lot.
　Hearing that, Yokoyama-san makes a languid expression.　

Ryosuke is a brave man of light, isn't he?　In my world, people in my world call me the "reincarnation of the savior" and expect me to do so. I became the fiancé of Noel, the First Heir to the Highland Throne. The First and Second Princes have poisoned me with food and curses. I've been targeted by assassins on more than one occasion.
".........
　I was immensely disappointed.
　What a difficulty level: belly hard.
　Sakurai-kun, you must have had a lot of trouble....

'But you know...'
　Yokoyama-san's expression becomes a bit dumbfounded.

With the blessing of the Sun Goddess Althena's Favor, Ryosuke is able to neutralize both poison and curses. Even when attacked by 10 assassins, he fights back with his bare hands. To begin with, he doesn't even get a scratch. Moreover, when exposed to the sun's rays, heals any injuries. Isn't that a foul thing?
"...yeah....
　Hey, hey, hey.
　You're an invincible cheat!
　I don't know if there is anyone in this world who can beat Sakurai-kun....

Well, it's not a good idea to go after people at night, so we, the members of the Order, are working shifts to protect you.
　I see.
　You are invincible and brave during the day, but it's dangerous to be targeted at night.

Saki-chan is Sakurai-kun's fiancée, isn't she?
　Sa-san asks casually.
'Yeah, both me and Eli.'
Oh, I see. Don't you mind?
　Sa-san looks a little delicate.

'Hmm, at first.'
　The gentle way she looks at Sakurai-kun is probably the s*x appeal of a married woman.
I've had more than 20 fiancées of Ryosuke's. And they are all ranked in order. Moreover, they are all ranked. I'm number 18 and Eri is number 17. It doesn't matter anymore.

It's amazing.
　Lucy and Sa-san are surprised.
　A harem of twenty people?
　A king.
　Ah, the princess's fiancé.

''But Ryosuke doesn't look happy at all! It's because the king ordered us to have as many children as possible in order to preserve the offspring of the brave men of light, and he spends his nights with a girl he's just met, so he doesn't have time to relax. I'm in a position where I have to organize more than a thousand knights by day.
Well that's not going to be very restful.
　Fujiyan speaks as if he feels sorry for her.
　I certainly don't envy him too much when I hear that.
　Like Fujiyan, maybe two wives are best for me.
　I have zero.

'So, like me and Eri, they say it's comforting to be with someone they've known for a long time. In the past, Eri and I didn't get along over Ryosuke, but now we're like war buddies.
Oh, yeah...
　Sa-san makes a difficult face.
　Lucy listens to Yokoyama-san's story with admiration.

'Hey, Takatsuki-kun,'
　The most beautiful girl in my classmates is staring straight at me.
　When we were in class together, she never called me by my name like that.
"What?
　I replied naturally.

'Ryosuke, he says that although he can be relied upon and asked for help, he doesn't have anyone he can turn to for help.
Really?
Oh, sure. Sakurai-kun is always the leader, isn't he?
　Sa-san agrees with Yokoyama-san's words.
　Come to think of it, that's for sure.
　There was always a group formed around him.
　People would gather around him.

''That's why Takatsuki-kun's help in the past was so impressive to him. The other day in the great labyrinth, when Takatsuki-kun helped me with his royal-class magic and I defeated an abominable dragon, he said he was happy.
　Yokoyama smiles bitterly.
'I knew you would always help me in unexpected ways, Takatsuki-kun.
Oh, right.
　No, it was just a coincidence.
　It's just that the spirit of the Great Maze was in a groove.

''Help her out again, okay?''
Well, yeah, I get it.
　Whenever I can.
　I can help you with your old friend.

Ryosuke, you seem to be having a good time today.
　Yokoyama-san laughs as he strokes Sakurai-kun's hair.

''He actually wanted Takatsuki-kun to join the Order of the Sun, but he became a hero of the Water Kingdom (Roses), so he couldn't ask him out anymore. But since he became a hero of the Water Kingdom (Roses), he seemed sad that he couldn't ask her out anymore.
Heh, yeah...
　You can't be serious!　Sakurai-kun.
　I'm not going to join the army.......and I'm a member of the army, right?

Then, Ryosuke has fallen asleep, so I'd better get going. I'll be leaving soon.
　While saying that, Yokoyama-san was carrying Sakurai-kun in her arms as a princess.
　When I saw the slender Yokoyama-san lightly pick Sakurai up, I thought, "This is a different world, isn't it?

You should meet Ryosuke again.
　Then he left.


　◇


Sakurai-kun and Saki-chan, you're having a hard time...
''It's tough being the brave Lord of Light...''
　Saasan and Lucy looked away with concern.
　I'm getting a little tipsy, aren't I?

"Mister Tuckey, would you like to come see me now? Would you like to come and see us now?
　Yeah, sure.
　Last time and this time, they came to me.

"Let's go visit and see what we can bring back.
　It's just like the old days, easy going.
　It was different from the third grade, though.
　I thought that was not a bad idea.